Our main project concerns the function and structure of Q beta replicase. Specifically we are studying physical relationships between EF-Tu.Ts, the other enzyme subunits and Q beta RNA. We are also performing experiments with enzyme made with altered EF-Tu or EF-Ts in order to determine what the function of these host-coded polypeptides is in RNA replication. We are also studying the roles played by the elongation factors in protein biosynthesis, and the mode of action of the antibiotic, kirromycin. Other projects include a conformational study of E. coli RNA polymerase, an electron microscopic study of replicating Q beta RNA, a search for overlapping genes in RNA phage, and an investigation of the folding pattern of EF-Tu.